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A freeze on mayoral pay rises would be unfair on those who are leading New Zealand's smaller councils, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel both have said they would support any decision to freeze their salaries for this year.
Ms Dalziel said she would write to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asking her for a mayoral pay freeze.
Mr Goff is the country's highest paid mayor and is set to earn $279,562, while Ms Dalziel was the second highest, earning $193,099 this year after her pay rise.
But Mr Cull, who will earn $157,798, says the Remuneration Authority was clear the role of mayor was a full-time job and so should be paid accordingly.
''I don't think it's helpful having the two highest paid mayors in the country asking for a pay freeze when we have mayors of smaller councils not even making the minimum wage for the hours they work.''
Unless mayors and councillors were paid a decent wage it was extremely difficult to attract a diverse and skilled range of people to local government, he said.